Speed limiters are outdated, expensive — Rep

the House took a motion by a member, Phillip Shuaibu, on the floor, opposing the plan by the Federal Road Safety Corps to introduce speed limiters in Nigeria. Is that not surprising, considering the high rate of road accidents in the country?

The motion is populist in nature. The fact that there is high incidence of accidents on our highways does not mean we should adopt outdated technology to curb accidents. The speed limiters we were told, can only be used on vehicles that have injectors, not carburettors. This is not good because criminals can take advantage of it. The part of it is that you ask, what happens to other vehicles that do not use injectors? Are those vehicles free to kill Nigerians? The truth is that even if there is need for speed limiters, it should be restricted to commercial and passenger buses, not private vehicles.

Do you feel there is some deceit in this move by the FRSC? 

I don’t think it is deceitful. The commission may indeed have genuine intentions. However, our argument is that even if the Federal Road Safety Corps wants to introduce speed limiters, it should introduce modern technologies. Speed limiters are not in this category. The ones the FRSC wants to introduce are outdated. 

We are saying that Nigeria should not be reduced to a dumping ground. We should not be the final destination of technologies that were tried and had failed elsewhere. And more important, they want to impose the device on both private and commercial vehicles. I think there are a lot of things that we need to put in place that will reduce speed. They include road signs and markings, among others. Besides providing such road infrastructure, motorists should be educated on how to identify them (road signs) and what to do to observe them.

 There is a pending House resolution halting the introduction of the device until a public hearing is conducted, but the CEO and Corps Marshal, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi, has intensified campaigns for the speed limiters. How do you react to this?

The motion and by extension, the resolution in the House urged the FRSC to suspend the introduction of the speed limiters pending the outcome of the investigation by the House. We may not have issues with their campaign. I mean, they are now involving stakeholders in the campaign, which is okay. In the process, a lot of people will be educated and may even come to agree with the position of the House. If they convince us and the stakeholders about the desirability of the technology, we will okay it. But, the point has been made that this is an outdated technology. Is that the best for our country?

Is there more to your opposition to the speed limiter?

We are in a government of change, therefore, we have to be careful about anything that will make the citizens to pay N36,000 in the face of current economic challenges they face. We will also try to know those who will benefit from that amount. Is it wholly government revenue or is it the contractors that will cart the money away? We have to be careful when introducing polices that will drain the pockets of the people. In the past, the FRSC launched new number plates and driver’s licences. Till date, we have not seen the innovations that the new number plates brought to motorists. Being told that the masses will cough out another N36,000 for this speed limiter will naturally make the House ask questions. Nigerians cannot continue to bear the cost of projects launched by the FRSC. For instance, in the Spider Technology that has been suggested by Hon. Shuaibu, as an alternative, the people will not have to bear the cost. The burden will be borne by the Federal Government through the FRSC. The technology can be installed at traffic lights, intersections and major points along the roads to detect excessive speeding by vehicles. This will be part of the development of road infrastructure in the country. We don’t always have to make the citizens bear the cost of innovations.

Some sections of the country, including the FRSC, argue that Nigeria is not ripe for the Spider Technology that Hon. Shuaibu suggested as an alternative due to our poor road infrastructure. What is your take?

That argument is not plausible. We are not ripe for a modern technology, but we are ripe for a technology that failed in some African countries? Nigeria is ripe for spider technology. If it is use in these same African countries, why not also in Nigeria?

How, in your view, can the FRSC improve on the integrity of its driver’s licensing process?

The FRSC, in my opinion, can improve on the integrity of its driver’s licence by demanding the production of driving school certificate during tests. There should be physical appearance by drivers instead of appearance by proxy. People should also produce their learner’s permit, which is an indication that they are learners.

Don’t you think that the death of the late Minister of State for Labour, his wife and son in a road crash due to overspeeding underscores the point made by the FRSC that speed limiters are vital?

Again, the FRSC seems to have capitalised on this

The death of our minister is highly regrettable, so it is with several Nigerians who die on our highways. But, the only way we can reduce road accidents is by constant enlightenment and education of drivers about road signs and the use of seat belts. The three tiers of government also need to cooperate with the FRSC by providing road signs on the highways and other infrastructure that can assist in reducing accidents. My understanding is that there are certain things that will help the FRSC in its operations, but the power to execute those things are either in the Ministry of Works or other agencies. We will require a holistic approach to solve the problem of road accidents.

In the event of the commission ignoring the House and going ahead to begin full implementation of the technology (speed limiter), what further actions can the House take?

 It is my belief that the FRSC is a responsible agency that will not defy the resolution of the House. Our resolution urging the agency to suspend the introduction of the speed limiters is in national interest.  Our committee is doing its job. I don’t want to pre-empt the outcome of the investigation.

Do you think Nigerians will heed your call to protest against the speed limiters?

Nigerians will heed the call because this opposition is in their interest. We will require spider technology or modern speed limiters as the case may be. The House is not opposing measures to limit excessive speeding, we are saying don’t bring a technology that is outdated. The point is simple enough.